Free treatment to poor in hospitals on HUDA land

Chandigarh, Aug 3 (UNI) The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has framed policy guidelines for providing free treatment to the poor persons or patients in hospitals given land at concessional rates by HUDA.

The policy lays down that 20 per cent of the outdoor patients shall be treated free-of-cost in all such private hospitals which have been provided land by the Authority. In the case of Outdoor Patients, while 10 per cent beds shall be reserved for indoor patients from weaker sections, the Authority has also made it mandatory for the hospitals to maintain records and registers thereof.

Mr T C Gupta, Chief Administrator, HUDA, said today that the terms and conditions of the policy have been circulated to all its Administrators and Estate Officers of HUDA for immediate implementation. HUDA has allotted sites in its sectors to various hospitals.

The Chief Administrator said that this issue was consequently placed before the Authority in its 101st meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in June. He said that according to the policy any person having a BPL card, class IV employees of Haryana Government or Undertakings or any other person having monthly income not exceeding Rs 5,000 per month will be classified as belonging to the weaker section and would be entitled for treatment as spelt out in the policy.

The benefit under the policy will be restricted to poor persons of Haryana domicile only.

In case of Outdoor Patients, the hospital administration of those hospitals which have been allotted sites in HUDA Sectors or any Urban Estate of Haryana shall provide free services to 20 per cent of the total outdoor patients being attended to by them on 'first come first serve' basis to such patients. For indoor patients, the hospital administration shall reserve 10 per cent of the beds for free-of-cost to the members of the weaker sections.

The super specialty hospitals shall charge subsidised rates, that is 30 per cent of the normal charges for 20 per cent of the functional beds in addition to providing free OPD services to 20 per cent of patients of weaker sections. The patients entitled to these concessions may be referred by the Chief Minister, Health Minister, Civil Surgeon or Nodal Officer of the District,Red Cross Society after approval by the Deputy Commissioner.

It will, however, be mandatory for the hospital authorities to admit and provide treatment to the eligible patients brought to the hospital in emergent situations even without formal reference from the above authorities in advance. The formality of reference can be completed subsequently.

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